A PICTURE CAN SAY A THOUSAND WORDS

Not much to report on in the NFL world. But I did find this picture and I think it's priceless in so many ways. It's the type of picture that could be used for those "Add your own thought/talk bubbles" contests they have everywhere. If I was the Redskins receiver, I would say "What the....?" I can't tell if he's more upset about the actual interception, or giving his QB a look like, "why don't you throw the damn ball the right way!"

HALLADAY TRADE WILL NOT IMPROVE PHILLIES

On Monday, the news broke that the two-time defending National League champions, Philadelphia Phillies, were about to pull off a trade for Blue Jays ace, Roy Halladay. When I first heard the news, I figured you could just hand the Phillies the 2010 World Series crown now. Along with the NL's best offense by a mile, Halladay-Cliff Lee-Cole Hamels would be an almost unbeatable top 3 in their rotation.

But then I heard the complete breakdown of the deal. Cliff Lee was going to Seattle (how sick are they going to be with Felix Hernandez and Lee as their 1,2?) as part of a three-way agreement between the Phillies, Blue Jays and Mariners. Now I had to wonder if the Phillies were really an improved team with Halladay over Lee. I understand why this makes sense from a management position as the Phillies will have Halladay the next four years opposed to running the risk of only having Lee for 2010. The move also keeps Halladay from being traded to the division rival Mets in a lesser, desperate move by the Jays brass. However, while this may be a good economic/strategic move, it is certainly not a game changing on the field move.

By dumping Lee, the Phillies lose the pitcher who was untouchable down the stretch and in the postseason. Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the playoffs. Is there any guarantee Halladay will be as good as that? I can't dispute Halladay has had the better career, but he has never pitched a big game in his life. In fact, Halladay struggled in mid-season when he admittedly felt the pressure from all the trade talk circulating around him. He has been a Yankee and Red Sox killer, but is there any pressure in pitching against them when you are 10-20 games behind them in August? Lee on the other hand fit in with the Phillies winning culture right away. He was unbelievable. Halladay will be an ace, but it will be hard pressed for him to be better than Lee in the big spot. He will have to better Lee's complete-game, 10 strikeout performance if the Phillies make it back to the World Series.

With all that said, I do think Halladay will be a slightly better in the regular season. But even if you think he will be much better, the Phillies will still have the same question marks they did before this move went down. They need Cole Hamels to revert back to his 2008 self. If this doesn't happen, the Phillies will continue to have a serious lack of depth in their rotation. If Hamels doesn't bounce back, who else can they count on? Maybe J.A. Happ, but they won't get much from Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer or even Pedro Martinez. They also haven't done anything to sure up their bullpen. If they don't, they will have to pray Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson revert back to their 2008 selves. Halladay doesn't solve those issues.

In my opinion, they are the same team today that they were a week ago, but without the assurance their ace will be a stud postseason performer. I wasn't opposed to them getting Halladay and signing him to an extension for some security, but why couldn't they keep Lee for 2010 too? Lee is set to only make $9 million next season. That's an absolute steal and with the team they have, they should have made a run with those two aces together. Then if Lee left for a bigger contract somewhere else after 2010 then so be it. So those who think the Phillies made a great move here, think again.

Pat Morgan

THE DANGERS OF BEING A HARD CORE FOOTBALL FAN

This story apparently first appeared over three months ago, but I must have missed it in the NFL Buffalo Bills fury that takes over every Bills fan. It's at that point where Bills fans think they're team has a good shot at a winning record...

Anyway, there have been reports and stories on how fans are brutal to one another, or to football players and their personal possessions. Apparently there was a terrible fan-to-fan combat that took place in Chicago. When I think of the Bears, I don't think that their ultimate rival is the Pittsburgh Steelers. I thought the biggest rivals were the teams who were in the same division, so this would mean the Vikings, Packers and the Lions are Chicago's biggest rivals. To me, this makes the most sense. But okay.

So the fan vs. fan violence occurred in a Chicago bar following the Bear's win on Sept. 20th against the Steelers. Apparently what happened was a Chicago fan offered an alcoholic drink to a Steelers fan and the all hell broke loose for the Steelers fan. "After drinking alcohol that was allegedly offered by a Bears fan, Heddinger blacked out and later went into cardiac arrest while being rushed by ambulance to an emergency room. Heddinger eventually went blind, and doctors began to suspect he had been poisoned with some form of toxic grain alcohol."

First rule: never go to a bar where the other team's fans are more prevalent than your own fan base. Understandably, when being the visitor in the city of the other team, it is hard to find a bar that would satisfy this requirement. Personally, if I was a fan of a team that just lost, and was in their home town, I probably wouldn't want to go to a bar. Although I might want a drink as a result of the game (which occurs a lot as a Buffalo Bills fan), I wouldn't want to go near a place where the other team's fans would be congregated in big numbers. Why would you want to put yourself into that situation? All that aggravation doesn't seem worth it to me. Let's look at some more details of this fan-to-fan combat:

"Not long after taking the drink, Heddinger blacked out and was rushed to the hospital. Along the way, his heart stopped several times and paramedics had to resuscitate him. Initially, doctors thought it was merely a case of a fan drinking himself to the brink of death, but after further tests and Heddinger’s ensuing blindness, they suspected a type of extremely toxic grain alcohol."

Well, if this Steelers fan was, let's say, a Detroit Lion's fan, I bet the "drinking himself to the brink of death" would have been a conscious and willing decision. But getting back on topic, who thinks of giving someone they dislike some type of grain alcohol? Who brings that with them, knowing that they could give it to someone who would piss them off? Some people are seriously not right in the head.

And finally, here is the kicker of the story: “… One of the Chicago guys bought a drink for one of Zack’s companions, who was the one who was really engaged in the argument with [the Chicago fans]. This guy declined it, and Zack, trying to be the peacemaker, said ‘Oh, I’ll take it.’ He drank it, and that’s the only thing that distinguished him through the night from the other [Pittsburgh fans] who were not similarly affected.”

So the poor sap that took the drink wasn't even the original target! So let's learn our lesson from this story: don't start trash talking at a bar in a foreign town with townies who are serious about their team. Stay at the hotel and drink there.

Jaclyn Kahn

TO SLIDE OR NOT TO SLIDE: RYAN UNHAPPY WITH QUARTERBACK'S DECISION

The New York Jets won their second straight game with a 19-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills Thursday night in Toronto. However, that is not the reason for the amount of buzz around rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. Just days after being taught how to properly slide by Yankees manager Joe Girardi, Sanchez dove head first and injured his right knee on a third down play early in the third quarter. He left the game a play later after feeling pain and did not return.

The coaches stressed all week not to slide head first and to take care of his body, but the 22-year-old went on instinct and picked up a big first down deep in their own territory. Head coach Rex Ryan was very displeased after the game and even said the rookie has to "grow up" and learn that he has to slide, making note that Sanchez represents the organization.

As for fans of the Jets, I don't think you can be against what Sanchez did out on the field. He is a gamer and there is nothing else you can ask for out of the leader of your team. The Jets were only up 16-10 at the time and it was a third-and-6. The play he made kept the drive going and even though he had to leave the game, New York tacked on three important points to make it a two possession game. Now if Sanchez were five yards short of the first down and he dove head first, then I can see where there would be a problem. You certainly slide in a situation like that, but what happened last night was totally acceptable.

Ryan expressed how upset he was about it after the game, but I cannot take his side on this one. As a big fan of the Jets, I want my players giving it all they have and if that means diving for a first down in a key spot in the game, then so be it. I don't care if it's the quarterback or the last man on the depth chart. Give me someone who lays it out on the line and I will be a fan of that person any day of the week. I understand Sanchez already had a left knee injury, which caused him to wear a brace for the game, but you can't stop someone from doing what it takes to win a ballgame.

Some people might argue back with the idea that risking your body in this situation isn't worth it. But I say that it's football and people are going to get hurt. That's how the game is. I applaud Sanchez for getting the first down and all Jets fans should do the same. Hopefully, all this negative attitude by the coaching staff doesn't mess with the rookie's head. He already has enough to think about while out on the field in terms of managing a game, making accurate throws and most importantly, not turning the ball over. In the end, I have no problem with what occurred last night. People get hurt in football. Deal with it.

Shawn Marosek

ENOUGH OF THIS TIGER STUFF ALREADY!

Let me fill you in just in case you've been living under a rock this last week. On Friday, Tiger Woods drew media attention when he drove his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree while backing out of his driveway in the middle of the night. He most likely was leaving after a fight with his wife over alleged affairs which Tiger has now verified via a statement he released on his website yesterday.

Now let me say I think cheating on your significant other is one of the worst things you can do. If you back stab the person that is supposed to be the most important person in your life, I am not sure what kind of person you are. I've heard excuses with people saying, well it's hard to ignore sexual desires when it's right in your face. Yes, we're all human with that, but come on, we aren't wild animals (well most of us aren't). If you're in a situation where you're tempted, get the hell out of there!

I'm not in approval of Tiger's actions, but I this should be an internal issue that the American public shouldn't care about. If sponsors want to ditch Tiger, that's their right, but the general public shouldn't be concerned about it. This is an issue Tiger should be his wife should be dealing with. Unfortunately we live in a society that worships celebrities and everything they do. It's quite sad that this story gets far more coverage than the President's decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan.

I wonder how many Americans know of Obama's decision vs. how many Americans know about the Tiger Woods story? Whether it's the couple that snuck into the Presidential Dinner, or what Jon and Kate are up to, the news is a total joke. Even the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" (ESPN), is more concerned about star, celebrity athletes than the games themselves. Frankly, I'm tired of it, but will it change? Unfortunately, not a chance.

Pat Morgan

BLATANT ERRORS OR IS THERE SOME TRICKERY AFOOT?

Although you may be thinking so, I am not talking about the New England Patriots this time (sorry). Instead I am going to rant about the multiple poorly called plays the referees have been calling lately. There have been some games lately where it seems like very bad, blatant calls against a team (which usually ends up being the underdog) are occurring more frequently.

Example: Titans/Texans game, MNF, November 21st, 2009

Last Monday, I begrudgingly turned on the Houston game; because I'm not a fan of either team, I figured I wouldn't be very involved. However, I stuck with it, rooting for Houston because many Buffalo Bills players have stopped there on their way towards retirement, as well as Andre Davis, who is my favorite special teams player (and Niskayunian, aside from myself, family, and close friends). The game was very close and actually exciting, which division games should be. Here is the call that was a very bad call; when the MNF announcers are saying the refs are making bad calls, then you know that there actually are really bad calls being made.

"The Titans started the go-ahead drive at the 6-yard line, but the Texans were called for a 15-yard horse collar penalty on a tackle on Chris Johnson. A 22-yard run by Johnson two plays later put the Titans on their 41 just before the two-minute warning."

Anyone who watched that play knew that it was a terrible call. Did it cost the game? Most likely, but we will never know.

There have been multiple bad calls over the years, but it seems to me that they have become more prevalent. Watching the Oakland/Dallas game, there were many small holdings that weren't called on the Cowboys. Although, with the new big screen tv they have, I'm surprised they didn't notice. I think that these poor calls, especially those that might be game changers should be taken seriously. Is it because these guys are too old? Do they need glasses or do they need to retire? Should teams have the option of being able to stop the game to have the refs review their call to see if they were in fact correct or not, as they can do in tennis? No matter what happens, I think that something should be set in place so that the refs aren't the ones who are giving the (favored) teams more points. And maybe there should be some checking into bribery if the calls are that ridiculously wrong.

Jaclyn Kahn

BELICHICK AND THE PATRIOTS... MERE COINCIDENCE OR FURTHER CHEATING?

We all know by now (unless you are a very ignorant person, or a die hard Patriots fan) that Bill Belichick has been known to have some extra tricks up his sleeve, and not all of them have been fair nor legal.

To give you some backstory, a couple of years ago, the Jets (and by the Jets I mean their former coach Eric Mangini) blew Belichick and the Patriots in for cheating. According to Mangini, who had worked with Belichick for a few years in Foxboro, knew that he was videotaping other teams in order to get the advantage. So when Mangini became a head coach for a team that was rival's with Belichick, Mangini wasted no time catching Belichick and his videotaping buddies.

After all of the hooplah, and the $500,000 fine that the NFL imposed on Belichick (I think to get rid of cheating you have to get rid of the man but the NFL sucks up to him too much to do something THAT incredulous), came other reports that the Patriots not only taped teams during the regular season, but that they taped the Rams before they met for the Super Bowl all those years ago, which became the beginning of the end.

So now that you know that Belichick has a history of cheating, both alleged and fact, another story has developed between the Patriots and the Jets. Last Sunday, the Patriots found their mojo and pleasantly pounded the New York Jets, 31-14. However, there have been other reports that came out after the beating that some trickery was afoot in Foxboro.

According to the Shutdown Corner on Yahoo! Sports, The Jets had a very unwanted wake up call at one o'clock in the morning during their stay at a hotel the night before Sunday's game. Some players seemed to take it in stride, and even made fun of the situation, and others were flat out pissed off. Now, I am not a fan of either team, but I would be fuming if I was a Jet's player and that I wasn't given the same amount of ample rest I needed before a AFC east division game. Especially since the team to beat is the Patriots.

Now, I would blow it off and say some hard core Patriots fans were being ***holes and wanted to play a funny prank on the Jets. I mean, if I lived in Buffalo, and the Jets came to play in Ralph Wilson stadium (which they aren't this year, sadly) and I either worked the hotel or knew where they were staying, I would think it would be a great prank to pull. Of course, I probably wouldn't attempt it seeing as though all of the members of the Jets are far bigger than me and many football players have anger management issues, which would result in myself most likely earning a near-life-ending beat down. But I digress, the reason this smells fishy is because the same exact thing happened to the Buffalo Bills when they stayed at the same hotel in Foxboro, the night before they ALMOST beat the Patriots back in week one. Am I saying this too early wake up call was the reason the Bills lost? Not at all. But the fact that this keeps happening to the visiting team in Foxboro is disconcerting. I wonder if Mangini had stayed with the Jets, would he have outed Belichick for this too?

On the final note: "It sounds like there's a fan (or fans) who still like to pull middle school pranks to help support the team. Or maybe it's not a fan at all. Judging by his past history, I wonder if Bill Belichick has an alibi for last night? "

Jaclyn Kahn

TO BE CONTINUED...

Due to the lack of interesting things happening in the National Football League (and no one here really pays attention to basketball or hockey), we apologize for the dearth of posts.

Keep posted if the Jets or Bills can make it to the playoffs.... time to go Eagles!

WORLD SERIES BREAKDOWN: A METS FAN'S WORST NIGHTMARE

Tonight the most anticipated World Series in years will begin in the Bronx as the New York Yankees host the defending champion, Philadelphia Phillies. It isn't often that the World Series includes the two best teams in baseball, but that is the case this year. The Phillies feature an even better team that won the whole thing last year, and the Yankees showcase a team led by Alex Rodriguez who has finally put his postseason demons aside.

Here is my breakdown and prediction for the 105th edition of the Fall Classic:

Offense- Not many teams can say they have an offense on the level of the Yankees, but the Phillies can say just that. Of course you've heard of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollings, but their "role" players feature individuals who would be stars on other teams like Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino. Even catcher, Carlos Ruiz, has been a clutch performer in the last two postseasons. With that said, the Yankees have the hottest player on the planet in A-Rod. A-Rod should have been the ALCS MVP and has started to get Barry Bonds treatment. Mark Teixeira has been ice cold, but showed signs of heating up toward the end of the Angels series. He will play an impact in the World Series. And did I forget to mention Jeter, Damon, Matsui, Posada and Cano? Edge: Even

Bench- The Phillies don't have much on the pine, and in the AL park they'll insert either Ben Francisco or Matt Stairs into the lineup. The Yankees have added Eric Hinske back to the roster to go with Brett Gardner for speed, Jerry Hairston, and then they'll have Matsui on the pine when the series goes back to Philly. Edge: Yankees

Defense- You've heard about the Yankees powerful infield, but they are just as good with the glove. Everyone has seen the plays Jeter has made in the playoffs, but how about the glove of Teixeira? He didn't hit in the AL playoffs, but his glove may have won the Yankees a couple of games. He seems to have a gravitational pull in any inning where the opposition is threatening. Cano has tremendous range, and outside catching popups, A-Rod is as good as they get at third base. Their outfield is suspect and expect Girardi to use defensive replacements should the Yankees lead late. The Phillies boast a pretty good defense as well, and they might be better in the outfield than the Yankees. However, they have a couple of flaws. Utley has had trouble throwing the ball to first base, and even though Howard has improved big time at first, he is no Mark Teixeira. Edge: Yankees

Starting Pitching- The CC Sabathia/Cliff Lee matchup in Game 1 is perhaps one of the best matchups in recent World Series memories. They have both performed like top flight aces as they certainly are. I would say in normal situations that the Phillies have the next best starter in Cole Hamels, but he is having a big-time off year. Therefore, the next best pitcher is Andy Pettitte. He has been huge this postseason. Then it is anyone's guess with A.J. Burnett and Hamels. I'm worried about Pedro Martinez in Game 2 for the Phillies. I know Charlie Manuel is banking on his experience, but I would have started lefty J.A. Happ. The Yankees rotation is clearly deeper and they have the one starter who has proven he can pitch well on short rest in Sabathia. Edge: Yankees

Relief Pitching- Mariano... enough said? Everyone else in both pens are major wildcards. Edge: Yankees

Manager- I have never been a fan of Charlie Manuel, but give him credit for creating an atmosphere that has allowed his Phillies to be successful. Other than that, I have always scratched my head at some of the moves he's made. Joe Girardi on the other hand has had a questionable postseason. I think critics have been too tough on him as most of his moves have worked. I was puzzled by Alfredo Aveces in Game 2 vs. the Angels, and his pinch-running of A-Rod in Game 5. I think Girardi is the better manager, but I think Manuel has a better feel for his team at the moment. Edge: Even

Intangibles- Now, I've given all the edges to the Yankees, but other than in the bullpen they are slight, slight edges. The Phillies are a damn good team that has found ways to win this entire postseason. Whether it was Game 4 vs. Colorado or Game 4 vs. Los Angeles, this team is NEVER out of a game. On the other hand, the Yankees have an extra home game and have already developed some magic in their new park. They simply don't lose there. However, I think since this Phillies team has won and is such a cohesive group, I will give them the edge here. Edge: Phillies

Pick- Phillies in 7; It is hard to see the Yankees losing a clinching game in their building, but if any team can do it it is Philadelphia. I will pick the champs to repeat!

MVP- Jayson Werth

Pat Morgan

ANOTHER POST ABOUT TERRELL OWENS

Well, since we have some whiners on the issue of the Jets, I might as well start my mini comeback with a post that is most relevant to myself. And there is no where better than to start with T.O. and the Buffalo Bills.

As of this second, the top story on Yahoo! Sports (NFL) is how terrible T.O. has been on the Bills. You can check that out right here because I don't think I really want to go into that dialogue right now. Instead, I'd like to discuss the idea behind the article on the Shutdown Corner. Instead of bashing T.O., which is so easy to do, it actually talks about how T.O. is finally being the bigger man. Has anyone heard him mouthing off about his horrible situation in Buffalo? I haven't heard anything, but then again, I don't watch his show either.

Anyway, the point is, is that maybe T.O. isn't the nightmare everyone made him out to be. I mean, I wouldn't be bragging either about being on the Bills, and I'm a loyal fan. However, he hasn't said anything bad about the team either, which apparently is unlike his usual self. The Bills suck, and T.O. is basically going down with a sinking ship.

So can you really blame a above average athlete for this? I honestly think, watching the past 6 games, that T.O. can't prove himself because the rest of the team has to perform on his level. I'm sorry to say this, but even Romo and the younger Manning can throw a mean football. Yes, wide receivers tend to make their QBs look good. But it can be the other way around as well. If Edwards could throw good passes to T.O., I think that his numbers would be higher. Yes, T.O. has dropped many balls, and that makes him look bad. But if we look at his stats from last season on Dallas, with this season on Buffalo, I am going to venture that he probably dropped as many footballs with Dallas. It just seems like a ridiculous amount because he isn't catching as many balls as he's used to, or we the fans are used to. I think T.O. is starting to give up because he is not thrown to as much as he would like (or fans would like), and he is on a losing team.

When T.O. signed up to be a part of the Buffalo franchise, there were mixed reactions. One of the reactions was how T.O. was going to turn the Bills around. That's a fine hope, but now matter what, there is no way one player on an entire football team is going to be able to change the course of the team. Sorry Brady fans, but that is a fact. You need multiple high performing players to be able to win games. The reason the 90's Bills (and I mean the early nineties) were so good was because they had multiple high performing players: Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, etc etc. So yes, T.O. could help with the performance of the team, but it's more for morale, and more for the fan morale. If the Buffalo Bills were able to sign a high performing QB who was not fickle in his throwing ability, and add some more really good players to help Schobel and McGee with defense, maybe there could be some signs of improvement. But until then, the Bills and their fans are going to have to live with the fact that T.O. is not a god and can't change the outcomes without some help.

Jaclyn Kahn

WHY SHOULD WE EVEN BELIEVE?

Has there been a team in the NFL that has taken their fans on more in season roller coaster rides than the Jets? Anytime they give their fans the belief they've risen toward the top of the league they come crashing down and lose to the dregs of the NFL. They are physically incapible of handling any kind of prosperity! Whenever they look like they have a shot to do something special they find ways to choke it up. This year, last year, Al Groh's year, Parcells's first year, Carroll's year, and even a couple of those Herman Edwards's teams had no business getting in the playoffs after fast starts. At least I didn't have to deal with the 1986 team that went 10-1 and then crumbled to the earth. The roller coaster ride within the 1998 AFC Championship is symbolic of this team over the last couple decades. They were up 10-0 playing stellar ball early in the 3rd quarter when the wheels came off. They turned it over 6 times and allowed the Broncos to storm up and down the field to a 23-10 win.

Can't we have one year where when we think we're good, we are actually good and do something with our season? One year?

Since 1986, the Jets have had several meltdowns in which if they made the playoffs they brokes our hearts there:

1986- Start 10-1, Finish 10-6; Blow 20-10 4th quarter lead and lose 23-20 in OT to Cleveland in the divisional round

1987- Start 6-5, Finish 6-9; Miss playoffs

1991- Start 7-5, Finish 8-8; Lose 17-10 to Houston in the wildcard round

1993- Start 8-5, Finish 8-8; Miss playoffs

1994- Start 6-5, Finish 6-10; Miss playoffs

1997- Start 8-4, Finish 9-7; Miss playoffs due to that heartbreaking Wk 17 loss to Detroit

1998- 12-4; Legit team that could have won it all, but lost that AFC championship heartbreaker
to Denver 23-10 after leading 10-0 in the 3rd quarter. Team didn't get a chance to respond in 1999 as Vinny Testaverde was lost for the season in Week 1.

2000- Start 9-4, Finish 9-7; Miss playoffs

2001- Start 7-3, Finish 10-6; Lose 38-24 to Oakland in wildcard round.

2004- Start 9-3, Finish 10-6; Lose 20-17 in OT to Pittsburgh in the divisional round. Doug Brien misses 2 FGs late that would have advanced the Jets to the next round.

2008- Start 8-3, Finish 9-7; Miss playoffs

2009- Start 3-0, Currently 3-3; Ugh...

Pat Morgan

LEE, PHILLIES DOMINANT IN GAME 1 WIN

Cliff Lee was acquired for this very game.

And he delivered.

The southpaw tossed a complete game, struck out five and didn't walk a batter as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-1 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park.

Lee, the former Cleveland Indian, was traded to Philadelphia on July 29th and has been everything the Phillies could have asked for. During the regular season, Lee was 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA with the Phillies and has been an integral part of the team's sucess in the second half. The struggles of the bullpen have been a concern for the Phillies, which makes it even more important that the starters go deep into these postseason games. Lee did just that on Wednesday in the first postseason game of his career.

Colorado managed to put a run on the board in the ninth after Lee had shut them out for the first 8 2/3 innings. Troy Tulowitzki's double to right field scored Carlos Gonzalez and broke up the shutout bid.

Early on, it appeared Lee would have no room for error as Rockies' ace Ubaldo Jimenez was excellent as well for the first four innings, but was finally touched up in the fifth after struggling with his control. After walking Jayson Werth, fan favorite Raul Ibanez lined a double past Todd Helton and down the right field line. Werth scored easily and the Phillies led 1-0. After a groundout by Pedro Feliz moved Ibanez to third, Carlos Ruiz ended a long at-bat by knocking an RBI single into right. The ball bounced past the right fielder Gonzalez, allowing Ruiz to reach second base on the play. Jimenez was able to limit the damage after a 30-plus pitch inning and the Phillies led 2-0.

Jimenez didn't last much longer. He was knocked out of the game in the sixth inning after an RBI double off the right field wall by Ryan Howard, and an RBI triple off the bat of Werth made the score 4-0. Jimenez was relieved by Joe Beimel, who didn't do much better. On the second pitch Beimel delivered, Ibanez placed a single into right, scoring Werth and closing the books on Jimenez's day. The talented right-hander went 5-plus innings, giving up five earned runs on nine hits, while striking out three.

The Rockies overcame two bad calls early on in the game. The first one cut short a Colorado rally in the top of the second inning. After Yorvit Torreabla led off the second inning with a double, Brad Hawpe flied out to shallow center. Trying to make something happen, Torreabla then tagged up on a Clint Barmes flyout to right, but was gunned down at third. As soon as the play was over, Torreabla was in disagreement with the call. Replay would later show that the umpire had blown the call.

The second questionable call came on a pick off play by Jimenez in the bottom of the third. Lee, who had inexcusably stolen second base on the previous pitch, appeared to be picked off, but the umpire saw something different and called him safe. Colorado manager Jim Tracy came out to argue, obviously perturbed by the second straight call to go against his club.

The Phillies, who were swept by the Rockies in the 2007 NLDS, give the ball to Cole Hamels (10-11, 4.32ERA) for Game 2. The left-hander is the reigning World Series MVP, but hasn't had one of his better seasons. He can put that all behind him with a solid start Thursday afternoon. Colorado will counter with Aaron Cook (11-6, 4.16 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 2:37 EDT.

Shawn Marosek

UNBELIEVABLE HS FOOTBALL MISTAKE!

Watch the first 2:30 of this video. I don't think that kid will ever be the same.

CAPITALS DEFEAT BRUINS IN SEASON OPENER

Alexander Ovechkin and Brooks Laich had two goals apiece and Jose Theodore stopped 19 of 20 shots as the Washington Capitals defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 Thursday night. Boston, who plays their first five games at home this season, didn't give the crowd much to cheer about as they fell behind in the first period and was never able to recover. Niklas Backstrom had two assists, both on Ovechkin's goals.

The Bruins were still within striking distance to begin the third period. Down only 2-0, Boston soon found themselves in a lopsided affair as Laich scored his second goal only 16 seconds into the period. Ovechkin followed with his second tally 1:41 later to make it 4-0.

Peter Bergeron put in the only goal for Boston 7:56 into the final stanza. It was the only bright spot for the Bruins, who look to rebound against Carolina at home Saturday night. The Capitals will also return to the ice Saturday with a game versus the Maple Leafs.

CANADIENS 4 MAPLE LEAFS 3

Josh Gorges scored with only ten seconds left in overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a season-opening 4-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Despite being outshot 46-27, the Canadiens were able to battle back from a 3-2 deficit in the third period. Glen Metropolit tied the game 15:50 into the final frame with assists from Gorges and Paul Mara.

It looked as if the game was going to go to a shootout, but Gorges was able to beat Toronto goaltender Vesa Toskala, which sent everybody home. A good portion of the crowd cheered the goal, despite Montreal being on the road. The all-Canada battle didn't disappoint those who attended on opening night.

Shawn Marosek

WEEK 4 IN THE NATIONAL... FOOTBALL... LEAGUE

Here are my picks for Week 3 in the NFL. Enjoy the old NBC NFL Theme.

Last Week: 12-4

This Season: 22-10

LIONS @ BEARS

Jay Cutler and the Bears will bring the Lions back to earth after Detroit's first win since 2007. This will be a letdown game for the Lions. My Prediction: Bears 19 Detroit 6

BENGALS @ BROWNS

Eric Mangini is feeling the heat already in Cleveland. After another loss this weekend, it won't get any easier for the head coach. My Prediction: Bengals 27 Browns 10

RAIDERS @ TEXANS

It's hard to figure out this Houston team. They lay an egg the first week, come out flying against Tennessee then lose to the Jaguars. Which Houston team shows up this week?
My Prediction: Texans 23 Raiders 7

SEAHAWKS @ COLTS

No Matt Hasslebeck for Seattle means another one in the loss column. Peyton Manning and the Colts should have no problem at home. My Prediction: Colts 31 Seahawks 20

TITANS @ JAGUARS

The Titans are the best 0-3 team I have ever seen. They gave the Jets all they could handle last week and if it wasn't for two special teams fumbles, it might have been a different outcome. The Jaguars notched their first win last week against a divisional opponent in Houston. It won't be two in row for Jacksonville. My Prediction: Tennessee 24 Jaguars 17

GIANTS @ CHIEFS

The Giants just keep on rolling and will continue to do so against the Chiefs. Eli Manning throws for three touchdowns in a victory for New York. My Prediction: Giants 34 Chiefs 13

RAVENS @ PATRIOTS

New England hosts another solid opponent and last week I went against Bill Bellichick and the Patriots. Yes, the Ravens appear to be a better team than the Falcons, but I'm not going to make the same mistake again. My Prediction: Patriots 30 Ravens 25

BUCCANEERS @ REDSKINS

Redskins head coach Jim Zorn is feeling the heat after losing to the Lions last Sunday. They have looked dreadful the past two games, even though they beat the Rams in Week 2. A loss at the hands of a terrible Buccaneers team might be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
My Prediction: Redskins 14 Bucs 6

BILLS @ DOLPHINS

Two AFC East rivals clash in Miami as both are looking to get on track. Both teams are a combined 1-5 and are looking up at the Patriots and Jets in the division. Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington is out for the season and it's up to Chad Henne to lead the team. Despite being on the road, the Bills should handle the Dolphins this weekend.
My Prediction: Bills 24 Dolphins 16

JETS @ SAINTS

This is a battle of a great offense against a great defense. Which one prevails this Sunday in New Orleans? Drew Brees and the Saints offense was contained by Buffalo for much of their game last weekend, which makes me believe the Jets can do the same thing if not more.
My Prediction: Jets 27 Saints 24

COWBOYS @ BRONCOS

The Cowboys finally got their first home victory in their new building, but now they go on the road for a matchup with the undefeated Broncos. I don't believe this Denver team is for real. They got lucky against the Bengals and haven't played a difficult schedule by any means. The Cowboys' rushing attack has been great all season and should continue to be effective.
My Prediction: Cowboys 23 Broncos 14

RAMS @ 49ERS

San Francisco lost a very tough game last week to Minnesota thanks to some Brett Favre heroics. This week, the 49ers take on a Rams team that might be worse than last year's team. San Francisco was one play away from 3-0 and look for them to be still a little angry about last Sunday's result. My Prediction: 49ers 31 Rams 10

CHARGERS @ STEELERS

Who would have guessed that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be 1-2 heading into Week 4? After a disappointing loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Steelers look to improve on defense. However, they have to face a talented offensive team in San Diego. If this game was played out west, then I would give the edge to the Chargers. This Sunday's game happens to be in Pittsburgh, which makes me believe the Steelers will come out on top.
My Prediction: Steelers 20 Chargers 13

PACKERS @ VIKINGS

When Brett Favre signed with the Vikings during the summer, this game was circled immediately on many people's calendars. Finally, the matchup of Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers will take place at the Metrodome. Everyone knows how badly Favre wants to beat his former team and I think he and the Vikings will get it done. My Prediction: Vikings 26 Packers 17

Enjoy the games!

Shawn Marosek

SHARKS LOOK TO REBOUND AFTER PLAYOFF DISAPPOINTMENT

The San Jose Sharks had the best record in all of hockey last season, but that didn't mean much once the playoffs started. The President's Trophy winners were ousted in the first round by the eighth-seeded Anaheim Ducks four games to two. It was a bitter ending to what was a promising campaign for the Sharks, who compiled a record of 53-18-11 (117 points) and were the dominant team for much of the first half of the season.

San Jose certainly wasn't the best team in the second half of the season last year, but still managed to claim the top seed in the Western Conference. The organization hoped that the amount of talent they had would result in the franchise's first ever Stanley Cup. It was supposed to be their year. In the end, it ended in familiar fashion with an early exit from the playoffs.

Now the men in teal look to bounce back this season and make another run at a title. Their are some new faces and their were a few trades in the offseason that might have surprised some fans. Longtime Shark and fan favorite Jonathan Cheechoo and budding star Milan Michalek were traded to the Ottawa Senators. In return, San Jose received Dany Heatley, who is a great player but has had some trouble in the past. Heatley was involved in a car accident in 2003 that killed Atlanta Thrasher teammate Dan Snyder. Alcohol was involved but his blood-alcohol content was below the legal limit. He wanted to be traded from Ottawa and eventually got his wish.

The Sharks also traded Christian Ehroff to Vancouver. Erhoff had underachieved with San Jose, and the organization felt like it was time to move on. He is known for his lightning fast shot, but he was very inaccurate as a member of the Sharks.

Head coach Todd McLellan, who made his debut last season with San Jose, hopes that the players have learned from their postseason failures.

"We carry around the past with us. We as an organization know exactly what happened," said McLellan, who was an assistant coach with the Red Wings before coming to San Jose. "But if we're going to sit and keep our minds and hearts in that spot, we have no chance of going forward. We better carry that with us, but we better start looking ahead."

The Sharks return some familiar faces that need to get over that hump and at least advance far into the playoffs. Heatley will join Joe Thornton (25 g, 61 a, 86 pts) and veteran Patrick Marleau (38 g, 33 a, 71 pts) in what hopes to be a special year for San Jose. Goaltender Egveni Nabokov has been one of the best goalies in the league for several years, but McLellan admits that he will have to earn his starts this season. It's hard to believe that Nabokov wouldn't be the main man between the pipes and it would be a big surprise if that was the case. The organization also has a plethora of young talent and a lot of confidence that they will have a big impact.

The fans at the Shark Tank had plenty of reason to cheer last season, but they also have reason to be skeptical of this 2009-2010 squad. Anything short of a deep playoff run will be considered a failure, and rightfully so.

Shawn Marosek

WEEK 3 IN THE NATIONAL... FOOTBALL... LEAGUE

My picks for Week 3 in the NFL. Again, I have provided some football music for your enjoyment. I am going to try and make it a different theme each week. The beginning of this brings back memories for sure.

Last Week: 10-6

CHIEFS @ EAGLES

The Philadelphia Eagles have four quarterbacks on their roster, but it appears as though they are going with Kevin Kolb once again this weekend. Kolb threw for almost 400 yards in his first NFL start, but also threw three interceptions against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. Donovan McNabb is still nursing a rib injury and newly acquired Jeff Garcia will be the third string quarterback this weekend. Michael Vick might see some plays in the wildcat formation in his first regular season action. The Chiefs are coming off another tough loss, this one to the Oakland Raiders by the score of 13-10. They had 300 more total yards than Oakland and still lost the game when JaMarcus Russell led the Raiders to a game-winning touchdown. This week, I believe the Eagles get back on track, despite not having their star quarterback available. Their defense didn't perform well last week, thanks to a high-flying Saints offense, but Philadelphia should have a better time of it this weekend.
My Prediction: Eagles 27 Chiefs 13

PACKERS @ RAMS

Another game for the Packers that many people think they should win easily. Last week, Green Bay was supposed to coast to an easy home win against the Cincinnati Bengals. It didn't turn out that way as the Packers lost 31-24. Their defense let them down and one would think they will rebound against the Rams. St. Louis only mustered seven points against the Redskins in a defeat last Sunday. They were shutout in Week 1 by the Seattle Seahawks. The offense is nowhere to be found, but maybe it can get itself back on track this weekend against the Packers. I know I picked the Packers to win big last weekend and it backfired on me, but I can't go against them here against St. Louis. My Prediction: Packers 24 Rams 20

49ERS @ VIKINGS

This is one of the more interesting matchups of Week 3. The surprising 2-0 49ers head to Minnesota to take on Brett Favre and the impressive Vikings. Mike Singletary has turned this team around for the time being and the players seem to be adapting to his style of coaching. The Vikings, behind Adrian Peterson have looked great the past two weekends. I know it was close against the Lions until the second half, but Peterson did his thing and led Minnesota to victory. This is going to be a great game only if San Francisco can contain Peterson, which is easier said than done. However, the Vikings prevail in the end. My Prediction: Vikings 20 49ers 7

TITANS @ JETS

The Jets are flying high after their Week 2 victory against the New England Patriots. Now they face off against an 0-2 Titans team that is better than their record might indicate. Two three point losses for Tennessee have been hard to swallow, but they need to come back and try and contain a blitz-filled Jets defense. The Jets will be missing two of their top cornerbacks in Donald Strickland and Lito Shephard, but that won't stop them from doing what has gotten them to this point. The Jets will be blitzing from all different directions and it's up to the Titans to protect their quarterback. Some teams this year will be able to figure out this defense. Will the Titans be the first to do so this season? My Prediction: Jets 20 Titans 17

FALCONS @ PATRIOTS

The New England Patriots were outplayed in the second half last week and beaten by the New York Jets, 16-9. Tom Brady has yet to find a rhythm, except for the last four minutes against the Buffalo Bills. He was pressured all day long by the Jets defense and looked like a below average quarterback on the field. Look for him to have a better game in Week 3, but that doesn't mean the Patriots will come out on top. This week, they take on another young quarterback in Matt Ryan, who has looked nothing short of brilliant the first two Sundays of the season. I believe he does it again and leads the Falcons to a 3-0 start. My Prediction:
Falcons 31 Patriots 21

JAGUARS @ TEXANS

Houston looked like a completely different team last week than they did in their season debut against the Jets. Matt Schaub passed for 357 yards and four touchdowns and wide receiver Andre Johnson got back on track with a monster afternoon. The Jacksonville Jaguars are 0-2 and need to get a win. I like their chances in this game, considering it is a division opponent who they know a lot about. Look for the Jaguars to get into the win column this week. It won't be easy though. My Prediction: Jaguars 17 Texans 14

GIANTS @ BUCCANEERS

Some may say this is a trap game for the Giants. I don't see it at all. I know they are banged up on the defensive side of the ball, including Justin Tuck, who was inexcusably tripped by Cowboys offensive lineman Flozel Adams Sunday night. Tampa Bay has looked good offensively the past two weeks, but I don't see it happening here. Eli Manning and the Giants come out with the win and stay undefeated on the season. My Prediction: Giants 24 Buccaneers 10

REDSKINS @ LIONS

Will the Lions get their first win since the 2007 season? The answer is yes. The Redskins looked terrible last week, even though they were winners against the St. Louis Rams. I have this gut feeling that the Lions break through and get the victory. I think the game will be close for the first three quarters, but quarterback Matthew Stafford will earn the first victory of his NFL career by having an impressive fourth quarter. My Prediction: Lions 31 Redskins 16

BROWNS @ RAVENS

The Browns might be the worst team in football. I know the Lions have not won a game in over a year and a half, but Cleveland looks pitiful on both sides of the ball. Eric Mangini inherited a bad team and it is going to be a long year. As for the Ravens, they look like a team to be reckoned with. Their defense has allowed 20-plus points in the first two games, but a big stop by Ray Lewis last Sunday secured the win for Baltimore against the San Diego Chargers. John Harbaugh has done a nice job with this team and second year quarterback Joe Flacco looks like the real deal. This game will be a laugher. My Prediction: Ravens 41 Browns 6

BEARS @ SEAHAWKS

The Bears are coming off a huge win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Seahawks didn't look great in their loss versus the 49ers. Matt Hasslebeck was injured in that game and it is still uncertain whether he will play in Week 3. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler played well against Pittsburgh and led them on a game-winning drive. The fans were all over him after his Week 1 performance, but his confidence might be back. Even though Seattle can be one of the loudest and toughest places to play, I think the Bears will be able to handle it.
My Prediction: Bears 21 Seahawks 13

SAINTS @ BILLS

The New Orleans offense has been off the charts early on this season and I expect it to be the same this weekend. The Bills are certainly tough to play at home, but Drew Brees and company should put up a lot of points once again. Trent Edwards will also have a good game behind center, meaning this game should be a shootout. Look for Terrell Owens to find the end zone for a second straight Sunday. He will also drop one or two. That's part of his game. Edwards and Brees will throw of over 300 yards, but New Orleans will score more points.
My Prediction: Saints 38 Bills 31

DOLPHINS @ CHARGERS

The Miami Dolphins dominated the time of possession against the Indianapolis Colts and still lost the game. Their defense allowed quick scores Monday night and now they face another talented offensive squad in the San Diego Chargers. The Dolphins played well last week offensively with Chad Pennington having a solid game. Philip Rivers and the Chargers are also coming off a tough loss to the Ravens. This team has so much talent, but can't seem to put it all together. This week, they should have a successful game on both sides of the ball.
My Prediction: Chargers 27 Dolphins 21

BRONCOS @ RAIDERS

The Broncos are looking to continue their winning ways against the Oakland Raiders, who notched their first victory of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend. I was surprised by the Broncos performance against the Browns after they were lucky to beat the Bengals in Week 1. I like the way the Raiders have played the last two weeks, especially on defense. Their offense needs a bit of work, but JaMarcus Russell has shown the past two games that he can lead his team on a late fourth quarter drive to take the lead or even win the game. His numbers haven't been great at all, but his late game heroics have to mean something. I think the Raiders move to 2-1 on the season by defeating the Broncos.
My Prediction: Raiders 16 Broncos 14

STEELERS @ BENGALS

This AFC North battle might be closer than people think. The Bengals are coming off a very impressive win against the Packers, but Big Ben and the Steelers need to rebound after a tough defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bears. Carson Palmer looked like the star quarterback he was supposed to be last weekend and needs that performance this Sunday against a much better defense. I think the fans of Cincinnati will be up for this game and make it hard on Rothlisberger at times. However, The Steelers quarterback will engineer another late game drive to win the game, something he is very accustomed to. My Prediction: Steelers 19 Bengals 17

COLTS @ CARDINALS

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner regained his form last weekend in record fashion, completing over 92 percent of his passes in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Look for more of the same this weekend against a Colts defense that struggled against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. The Colts are 2-0 and Peyton Manning looked great last weekend, putting up 27 points against the Dolphins. Despite having the ball for under 15 minutes, Indianapolis was able to strike quick and often. This game should be very high scoring and an entertaining Sunday night contest. My Prediction: Cardinals 34 Colts 31

PANTHERS @ COWBOYS

The panic has begun in Dallas and most of it surrounds quarterback Tony Romo. He was flat out terrible in the Cowboy's loss to the Giants Sunday night. He has even felt the heat from legends who have worn the Dallas uniform. The Panthers are a good team to face to get back on track. They have been completely outplayed in their first two games of the season. Jake Delhomme was better this past weekend than he was in Carolina's first game. However, he put up terrible numbers in that first game it wouldn't take much to improve on them. Demarcus Ware has not had a sack in awhile and he is usually known to dominate that statistic. Look for the Cowboy s defender to have a great game against the Panthers, who will struggle once again.
My Prediction: Cowboys 27 Panthers 7

Enjoy the games!

Shawn Marosek

JETS RATTLE BRADY AND MAKE STATEMENT TO PATS

For the first time since 2000, the New York Jets beat the New England Patriots at the Meadowlands. The revamped Rex Ryan defense had Tom Brady scrambling all day and held the vaunted Pats offense without a touchdown. Rookie quarterback, Mark Sanchez, had a tremendous second half leading the Jets from a 9-3 deficit at the half to a 16-9 win. It was another all-around great effort that leaves the Jets 2-0 and in first place in the AFC East after two weeks.

Clearly, the Jets have bought into Rex Ryan's system. I have never seen the Jets have such a dominating defense. The aggressiveness is such a breath of fresh air from Jets defenses of yesteryear. I love the fact that there is a defender waiting to tackle the receiver immediately. I love the fact that they have allowed very little on the ground. And oh yeah! They have not allowed a touchdown against two very good offenses. Look at what Houston did against Tennessee yesterday. The Jets defense shutout that team and then they scored 34 points against a good Titans defense!

Granted the season is only two weeks old and offenses will have better days against our defense, but you cannot help not being excited about it as a Jets fan. Bart Scott, Kris Jenkins, Darrelle Revis, David Harris, and others have absolutely grown into big time players. The pass rush has been outstanding and remember they will get Calvin Pace back in two weeks to add to the attack. And what about the Jets not dropping back into the prevent defense for Brady's final drive? Keep doing what you have been doing all day. I loved that! Prevent defenses only prevent winning.

Mark Sanchez has been very solid as well. He was not allowed to do a whole lot in the first half yesterday, but the second half was a thing of beauty. He did not light up the stat sheet, but he engineered three scoring drives and was very smart in his decision making. The play before punting to the Pats for their final drive was very smart. Instead of forcing a pass somewhere down field, Sanchez wisely took a sack making Brady and company have to go 90 yards to tie the game. You make that decision when the defense is playing the way it is. Why throw something up or chance having the ball being stripped? If he makes a mistake there, the Pats would have started from midfield or better. It was a great decision on Sanchez's part. One Brett Favre wouldn't have made!

As far as Rex Ryan, I think the team has clearly bought into his attitude. Some players need to cool down with their talk, but I like the chemistry between the players and coaches. Ryan's phone call to the season ticket holders also worked. I have never heard the Meadowlands so loud for a prolonged amount of time. He asked the crowd to make things difficult and his request was granted. The crowd forced the Pats offense into four delay of games. Ryan made a great move giving the game ball to the crowd after the victory.

Now Jets fans have been disappointed more than most fans in the NFL. We have seen great starts turn into terrible finishes. Just look at last year. The Jets were flying at 8-3, and there was talk of an all-New York Super Bowl. Then it all fizzled so quickly. So obviously we need to be careful before proclaiming we have a championship level team, but we should also really enjoy the new attitude this team has. Looking at the schedule before the season started, I thought the Jets could be 0-5 against those tough opponents. So to be 2-0 is a major plus and we'll see where they go from here.

Pat Morgan

J! E! T! S! JETS! JETS! JETS!

WEEK 2 IN THE NATIONAL... FOOTBALL... LEAGUE

Here are my picks for Week 2 in the NFL. I stole the Sports Gerbil's idea and posted some music for you to enjoy while reading the picks. I am hoping to make this a weekly post throughout the season.

TEXANS @ TITANS

After a lackluster performance against the New York Jets in Week 1, the Texans look to notch their first victory of 2009. Tennessee also comes off a loss, but it could have gone either way against Pittsburgh. Many had high expectations for Houston this season, but last week didn't show us much. Yes, the Jets were dominant but the Texans still didn't look impressive. I expect Tennessee's defense to come up big this week and Kerry Collins should have a decent game behind center. For the Texans to have a chance, Andre Johnson will have to start getting involved in their offense. He was completely shut down by Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis last week and was a non-factor. Houston needs to get him the ball. However, I don't think they will get him the ball enough. My Prediction: Titans 17 Texans 13.

SAINTS @ EAGLES

The story of Donavan McNabb has changed quite a few times this week, but it appears as if he will not suit up for the Eagles this Sunday against the Saints. Kevin Kolb will be his replacement and we will have to wait until next week to see if Michael Vick will be at the helm for Philadelphia. As a result of McNabb's absence, that makes Brian Westbrook even more of a factor. This game will still be all about offense, but without McNabb, I don't see the Eagles keeping up with the high-powered offense of New Orleans. Drew Brees is coming off a six-touchdown performance and even though the Eagles defense is solid, they won't be able to contain the Saints passing attack. My Prediction: Saints 45 Eagles 31

CARDINALS @ JAGUARS

That high-powered Arizona offense that propelled them to a Super Bowl appearnace last season was obsolete in week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. Their have been concerns ever since the start of preseason and it appears to be for good reason. The Jaguars have a defense that contained Peyton Manning and the Colts last Sunday and have a good chance of repeating a similar performance this weekend. I won't feel comfortable about the Cardinals offense until I see an impressive perofmance from Kurt Warner and company. However, I don't think the Jaguars will put up many points either, which means this game could be very similar to Jacksonville's 14-12 loss to the Colts. My Prediction: Cardinals 17 Jaguars 10

RAIDERS @ CHIEFS

The Raiders impressed a lot of people even though they were defeated by the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night. Their defense played very well and contained what was supposed to be one of the best offenses in the league. This team still has a long way to go, but I don't see why they couldn't pull out a win in Kansas City. Arrowhead Stadium is known to be one of the hardest places to win, but Kansas City hasn't been that good in awhile so that factor might not play as big a role anymore. The Chiefs played a pretty decent game against Baltimore in which the teams combined for a total of 62 points. Even though they came out on the losing end, it was still a better performance than most probably anticipated. This week I believe the Raiders' defense steps up again and leads Oakland to the victory. My Prediction: Raiders 23 Chiefs 13

BENGALS @ PACKERS

After watching how the Bengals lost against the Broncos, I don't give them a chance this weekend. The tipped ball to Brandon Stokely will still be in their heads when they take the field and the Packers will roll over Cincinnati. This team has been in disarray ever since Carson Palmer went down with a knee injury in their playoff loss to the Steelers a few years ago. This week, they take on a Packer team that I believe might win 11 games this season with their up and coming quarterback Aaron Rogers. He didn't play too well against the Chicago Bears, but did lead his team to a game winning touchdown with less than a minute remaining. I could see Rogers connecting with Greg Jennings quite a bit this weekend and the Packers coming out on top by a large margin. My Prediction: Packers 31 Bengals 7

PANTHERS @ FALCONS

Both of these teams looked like polar opposites during Week 1 of the season. The Panthers were embarrassed by the Eagles, much in large part to Jake Delhomme and his six turnovers. The Falcons dominated their game against the Miami Dolphins and only allowed a late meaningless touchdown. It's very easy to say here that the Falcons will handle the Panthers, but not so fast. I have a feeling Delhomme bounces back and Steve Smith has a big game. That's how it has been with this offense for quite awhile now. Delhomme is hit or miss, but if he can have a nice game this weekend, the Panthers will be victorious. My Prediction: Panthers 27 Falcons 21

RAMS @ REDSKINS

The Rams might be heading for another dismal 2-3 win season. They barely showed up in their shutout loss to Seattle and now they visit FedEx Field in Week 2. The Redskins were beaten last week by the Giants 27-21, but the game wasn't as close as the score might indicate. This season is Jason Campbell's last chance to prove to the fans and organization that he can be the leader of this team. He has a rocket for an arm, but hasn't been able to put it all together. This week he and the Redskins take the field for their home opener and should be successful against a terrible defensive team in St. Louis. Look for a lot of Clinton Portis early with Campbell not having to do to much to lead them to victory.
My Prediction: Redskins 24 Rams 10

PATRIOTS @ JETS

I consider this to be the game of the week. Maybe it is because I am a Jets fan, but the drama has already begun this week with plenty of trash talking stirring this rivalry. The Jets are confident and rightfully so after their dominant performance against the Texans in Week 1. I have never seen a Jets defense play as well as they did last Sunday, and they must bring that effort again if they are going to beat the Patriots. I do believe the Patriots will put up some points, but Mark Sanchez and the Jets should be able score as well against a New England defense that was exploited by the Buffalo Bills. My Prediction: Jets 24 Patriots 21

VIKINGS @ LIONS

I can't imagine this game being close at all. Adrian Peterson will run all over the hapless Lions defense just like he did last week against the Cleveland Browns. The Lions put up some points in Week 1, but it was against the Saints and they do not have an impressive defense either. Even though they scored 27 points, rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford still didn't look great. It will be the Peterson show again and Brett Favre will barely have to do anything for a second straight game. My Prediction: Vikings 38 Lions 13

BUCCANEERS @ BILLS

The Bills were very impressive against the Patriots until about four minutes remaining in the game. From then on, they looked like the team that hasn't had much success the last several seasons. It will be interesting to see how they respond against a Buccaneers team that isn't expected to win many games this season. I thought Tampa Bay played Dallas pretty tough for a good portion of their Week 1 matchup, but eventually faded later in the game. Both of these teams need a win desperately and I figure this to be a very close contest. Tampa Bay gave up too many big plays and blew a lot of coverage against the Cowboys. This is something the Bills should exploit, which means getting Terrell Owens and Lee Evans more involved in the offense. Owens made it clear this week that Trent Edwards needs to throw the ball down the field more. If he does that successfully, the Bills should come out on top.

My Prediction: Bills 20 Buccaneers 14

SEAHAWKS @ 49ERS

Both of these teams couldn't have asked for a better Week 1 result. Even though it was St. Louis, the Seahawks still dominated and Julius Jones had one of his best games as a professional. The 49ers pulled off the upset with a win against the reigning NFC champion Arizona Cardinals. Mike Singletary had his team ready to play and maybe he will have more success this season as opposed to last. Seattle was awful last season, but many expect them to be improved this year and I happen to agree. San Francisco is coming off a high from last Sunday's win and I could see them having a letdown against the Seahawks. My Prediction: Seahawks 27 49ers 16

STEELERS @ BEARS

The Steelers showcased their top-notch defense last week against the Tennessee Titans, but suffered a big blow as Troy Polamalu was injured and will miss 3-6 weeks. However, I do not see this hampering the defense too much this weekend. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is coming off what might be his worst performance as a professional and he needs to rebound or he might never get the fans off his back. Acquired from the Broncos in the offseason, he is expected to do great things for this organization. If Week 1 is any indication of the rest of the season, it will be a long year for Cutler and the Bears. This game will be decided in the trenches as both teams have solid defenses, with the Steelers having the edge in that department.

My Prediction: Steelers 16 Bears 9

BROWNS @ BRONCOS

The Eric Mangini era has begun in Cleveland and it didn't get off to the start he had hoped for. After getting manhandled by Adrian Peterson and the Vikings in Week 1, the Browns look to bounce back against a team that was lucky to even win last Sunday. A crazy tipped ball that happened to land in the arms of Brandon Stokely resulted in the game-winning touchdown for Denver. They should have lost to the Bengals and their offense was obsolete up until that play. Brady Quinn will lead the Browns to their first victory of the season.

My Prediction: Browns 23 Broncos 14

RAVENS @ CHARGERS

This is going to be a great game. The Chargers offense didn't look too good against the Raiders Monday night, and the Ravens defense gave up 24 points to the Kansas City Chiefs. Without former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, it will be interesting to see if the defense that has always been a strong point for the Ravens will be the same this season. The Chargers might have the worst coach in the NFL in Norv Turner, which makes me a little suspect about this team as well. Ladainian Tomlinson is banged up, so look for Darren Sproles to handle a bulk of the load this Sunday. This is a tough game to choose and it could go either way. Will the Chargers offense or the Baltimore defense play a bigger role? Whichever one does will determine the winner. My Prediction: Ravens 24 Chargers 17

GIANTS @ COWBOYS

The Sunday night game this week features two teams from what many people consider to be the toughest division in football. The last time these two met was also on a Sunday night and the Cowboys got the best of the Giants that night. I really have no idea how good of a team the Cowboys really are. They do not have to deal with the drama of Terrell Owens anymore, which makes it easier for Tony Romo to do his job. He looked good in their win against the Buccanners, but this will be a real test against one of the best defensive units in the league. The Giants beat up on the Reskins last Sunday and led throughout the entire game. The defense forced turnovers and even had a touchdown of their own by Osi Umenyiora. The Giants defense will be up for the task again, but might give up a touchdown late similar to last week. Manning and the rest of the offensive side of the ball should have their way this Sunday.

My Prediction: Giants 30 Cowboys 20

COLTS @ DOLPHINS

The Dolphins are going to have a rough season. They won 11 games in 2008 and much of it was due to a very easy schedule. Three of the teams in the AFC East had winning records, which had a lot to do with the teams they had to play outside of their division. The Dolphins turned the ball over four times against the Falcons in Week 1 and that is something they rarely did last season. I could see this team only winning six or seven games this season. Also, the wildcat will not have as much of an effect this season for Miami. The Colts will be ready for that and whatever else the Dolphins have to offer. The offense for Indianapolis only managed 14 points against the Jaguars last Sunday, but Jacksonville always plays tough against Peyton Manning and the Colts. I look for Manning to be spot on this Monday night and the addition of wide receiver Hank Baskett should be a plus, considering they needed someone to fill the spot left by the injured Anthony Gonzalez. My Prediction: Colts 31 Dolphins 14

Enjoy the games!

Shawn Marosek

ATTENTION FOOTBALL (BUT ANY) SPORTSCASTERS: STOP BEING BIASED AND WISHY WASHY

Okay, so I know that this article isn't going to amount to much in terms of stopping the incessant annoying ways of football sportscasters (i.e. ESPN, Jim Nantz and his crew at CBS, and don't even get me started on the Fox pre and post-game show). However, I just want to share (and rant) my frustrations and turn offs about watching football.

Now, if you are a fan of the Patriots, Cowboys, or Giants fan, you probably disagree with me on what I am about to write. I'd like to point out that you are a fan (or bandwagon fan) of the most popular teams and these sportscasters are obviously fans as well, by portraying all of these teams in nothing but good light. However, if you are a fan like me, of a team that is constantly being put down (and it can be with good reason) or tossed aside for Brady/Favre updates that are unimportant and purely fanatical, then you might agree with my frustrations.

You already know that I am a Buffalo Bills fan (and yes, I still am one even after the tragedy from last night). And if you watched last night's Monday Night Football game, you will know what I am specifically talking about. Let me first start out with the pre-game predictions and banter. Obviously it wasn't stupid to choose the Patriots as the winning team, as they did win last night. But to say that the Buffalo Bills have no shot in winning and that the only reason people are watching is to see how well Brady performs? I didn't take any broadcasting courses during my stay at either undergraduate or graduate institutions, but aren't these sportscasters supposed to be somewhat neutral? (And forget about Fox in all forms of news casting on this one, because we all know how one-sided they can be.) I know there are less Bills fans in the world but that one hurt. And I loved how well the Bill's performed until the f*ckup that occurred with McKelvin in the fourth quarter with a little over 5 minutes left. I wanted the Bills to win, not only because I am a fan, but to shut up all of the sportscasters who were drooling over Brady's return. Even Boomer on ESPN chose the Patriots, and he's from Buffalo.

And it's not even just the pre-game talk but also what has been mentioned in the media about the Bills overall. Our society is one where we take in information as heard without really even thinking twice about whether it's true or not. So when the Bills actually do get any airtime, which is seldom, most of it is negative. Everyone was negative about the firing of the offensive coach who was replaced by Van Pelt. I heard some talk about how the Cowboys won and one reason for this was because T.O. wasn't there to annoy everyone and how he will be a hindrance on the Bills. Obviously Buffalo gets no love from anyone in the media industry, even after buying into a big name player.

Okay, so moving on to the actual game last night. I didn't really have a problem with any of the announcers beforehand, but the wishy washy: "Oh we're Patriots fans... wow Buffalo is doing well? Well, we're rooting for them now and how great they are... oh the Patriots are coming back? Well we had confidence in Tom Brady all along..." it gets really old really fast. I do have to say that these announcers did a MUCH better job than Jim Nantz and Phil Sims when they announced the season opener of the Bills and Patriots back in 2006. Last night's game consisted of positive feedback for both teams, and although it was a surprise on the Bill's end, they did deserve every compliment they received. After all of the heckling about the no huddle offense and how T.O. hates it and the whole team is in shambles, blah blah blah, Buffalo performed like a real professional football team and until the forth quarter fumble, I was damn proud to be a Bills fan. Back in 2006, Nantz and Simms started out talking about how spectacular Brady was in everything he did, even though he was sacked and threw at least one interception (if you don't believe me, go back and check). When the Bills were winning that game early on, Nantz and Simms were saying how the first game of the season doesn't really count and how this is a warm up, yadda yadda: basically saying that if the Bills win it's not a real game anyway. But of course the Bills ended in their usual heartbreak fashion, though the game was not as close as last night's, and then Nance and Simms were saying how magnificent Brady was and how winning this first game was a great accomplishment because it set the tone for the rest of the year. I don't care if you used to play for the Patriots (which I just learned last night that Nantz did), that is sh*tty sportscasting. What I want from you is to tell me what is going on, even though I can figure it out myself. Don't tell me how much you want to hit the sack with Tom Brady. Don't tell me how wonderful Coach Bellichik is for knowing how to cheat well. I want to hear about the game and, sure you can go over the really good plays from both teams, or even the really crappy ones. You can go over penalties because I want to see who got clubbed in the head and who plays dirty. You can even give your predictions, but I don't want a love fest for the other team.

Maybe I wouldn't feel this way if I was a fan of an always winning team. Maybe there should be specific Bills sportscasters that actually are biased for the Bills instead of against. And until the Bills get back to the days of four consecutive Super Bowls, they will probably never get the respect of all the sportscasters. But wouldn't it be nice if they could be a little more neutral and stop sucking up to certain people.

That and I just have to mention how I LOVED that the refs called a penalty on the Patriots for infringing on "The Brady rule." Bet you didn't think that was going to happen, huh?

Jaclyn Kahn

TGIF: THANK GOD IT'S FOOTBALL (SEASON)

Nothing much to say, but this video clip is priceless.

Can't wait to see this NFL movie!

MY FAVORITE MICHAEL JORDAN PERFORMANCE

Tonight, my childhood hero, Michael Jordan, will be inducted into the basketball hall of fame. I was clearly spoiled growing up with Jordan leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships. It's hard to believe it has been more than 11 years since the Bulls won their last title and Jordan left the team. I am hardly an NBA fan anymore, but I still look back at the 1990s in the NBA as being as good as any sport was in their Golden Age.

The video below is my favorite Jordan memory. With the 1997 NBA Finals tied at two, Jordan came down with some pretty bad food poisoning before Game 5 in Utah. Instead of mentally checking out of the game, Jordan had perhaps the most clutch performance of his career. I'll always remember the image of Scottie Pippen basically carrying Jordan off the court after he hit the decisive three pointer in the final seconds. There are many other moments that I cherish as well, but this is numero uno!



Pat Morgan

SPORTSGERBIL'S 2009 FEARLESS NFL PREDICTIONS

About the only good thing with the summer coming to an end each year is that it means the NFL is back! Between the Cubs being pitiful this year and the Jets drafting Mark Sanchez, I know I couldn't be more excited to get this season going. Well it all begins tomorrow night when the defending champion, Pittsburgh Steelers, play host to the Tennessee Titans. Then, we'll just have to find a way to get to Sunday (or Monday for Jaxster) to see our teams for the first time. Hit play on the video above for a little classic NFL music while reading the picks!

Below are my predictions for 2009 that are guaranteed to look really embarrassing after the season plays out. The number in parentheses are the official Vegas over/under numbers for each team. Instead of giving you wins and losses, I'll just be predicting whether they go over or under that number. (^Best Record, *Wildcard)

AFC East: ^New England (O 11.5), Miami (U 7), NY Jets (U 7), Buffalo (U 7.5)
AFC North: Pittsburgh (O 10.5), *Baltimore (O 8.5), Cleveland (U 6.5), Cincinnati (U 7)
AFC South: Indianapolis (O 10), *Houston (O 8.5), Tennessee (U 9), Jacksonville (U 8)
AFC West: San Diego (O 10), Oakland (U 5.5), Kansas City (U 6), Denver (U 6.5)

AFC Wildcard: San Diego over Houston, Indianapolis over Baltimore
AFC Divisional: New England over Indianapolis, Pittsburgh over San Diego
AFC Championship: New England over Pittsburgh

NFC East: Philadelphia (O 9.5), *NY Giants (O 10), Dallas (U 9.5), Washington (U 8)
NFC North: ^Green Bay (O 9), Chicago (U 9), Minnesota (U 9.5), Detroit (U 5)
NFC South: New Orleans (O 8.5), *Atlanta (O 9), Carolina (O 8.5), Tampa Bay (U 6.5)
NFC West: Arizona (O 8.5), Seattle (U 8), San Francisco (U 7), St. Louis (U 5.5)

NFC Wildcard: New Orleans over Atlanta, NY Giants over Arizona
NFC Divisional: NY Giants over Green Bay, Philadelphia over New Orleans
NFC Championship: Philadelphia over NY Giants

AFC Overrated: San Diego; Even though they'll coast home in the weak AFC West, I think people are crazy for picking them to win the Super Bowl. I would like to see them gel in the regular season and earn a high seed before I can put them on the elite level of teams. They are certainly talented, but they are being given too much praise.
NFC Overrated: Dallas; I have seen too many people pick this team to go to the playoffs. They are probably the third best team in perhaps the best overall division in football. Tony Romo doesn't have the weapons he used to and the defense isn't great. I smell an 8-8 season.
AFC Underrated: Indianapolis; Peyton Manning has gone from overrated to underrated in my eyes. He carried a mediocre Colts team to 12 wins last year. I think he will win the team another AFC South title. I also think people are overrating the retirement of Tony Dungy. He was a much better man than coach. This has always been Peyton's team, not Tony Dungy's, and it won't be Jim Caldwell's either.
NFC Underrated: Green Bay; The schedule is very favorable for the Packers to win 11+ games this year. I think Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the division. They have plenty of weapons on offense and a fairly decent defense. People are overrating the Vikings and Bears in my opinion. I think the Pack take home the NFC North and could do some damage in the playoffs.

MVP: Peyton Manning
Rookie of the Year: Mark Sanchez
Coach of the Year: Mike McCarthy - Green Bay

Super Bowl XLIV Pick: Philadelphia 27, New England 24; I think the Eagles will finally get it done. They will certainly miss long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson who died this offseason, but I think they will be fired up to play well in his honor. He will be more missed over time than this year I think. Michael Vick should make the offense very unpredictable as well. I think this is a very balanced team that should eek out a Super Bowl against Tom Brady's Patriots.